Seacock stuck

Vic H. · Feb 11, 2012

I would try to get a lot of penetrating oil into the top of the seacock if you can. Then, this sounds off the wall, but i would go underwater and spray penetrating oil up into thru hull and let the oil float up. Then after a day or so I would Gently tap lever with dead blow hammer. Just my opinion.

Good luck,
Vic H.

jorgefife said:
The seacock that has a yellow lever, inside the starboard lazarette, is stuck
I think it is the one that brings the sea water to flush the head
One day, when I get the boat out to do the bottom, will replace, but for now, what do I use to loosen it?
I don't want to put too much strain on it, but maybe if I use some thing I could lubricate it and then it will work OK
I am not sure if it has a lver or a valve,now that I think about it
What do you think?
While I am about it, I should lubricate all. I know there is one under the locker port side, halfway: where are the others?
Anyone with a H33 (82) ?

Jim Legere · Feb 12, 2012

Maybe at little GENTLE persuasion, but I would leave it alone until you haul the boat out of the water. If the seacock were to break off, you would have a whole new problem! Please read MaineSail's excellent webpage about seacocks, if you have not already done so: http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/seacock_primer
There are some pretty scary pictures of broken seacocks in there!

Ed Schenck · Feb 12, 2012

I'm with Jim about leaving it alone and waiting until she is high and dry. It sounds like a ball-valve because you are remembering a "yellow lever". The original valve there was a gate valve with a round handle like a faucet. Definitely be careful with those, the valve stem will snap off quite easily. By putting pressure on the valve you can loosen the thru-hull. Then your haul out will be the same day. Report back when you know what kind of valve you are working with.

gray_penguin · Feb 12, 2012

I had 4 in my 78.
1 in the salon under the Port lazarette for the galley sink drain
1 in the engine area between the transmission and stuffing box for engine and head
1 under the head sink for sink drain
1 in the Starboard lazarette in the cockpit for draining the holding tank

Two of mine were gate valves in VERY bad shape (galley sink frozen open and holding tank frozen closed)

I followed MaineSail's EXCELLENT advice to replace mine. I also posted about the ordeal of removing and replacing them on my boat site.

Paul F · Feb 12, 2012

In addition to the four valves Gary mentions is the one you are working on Jorge. It is the subject of one of my funnest and best boat stories. I will briefly relate it here and tell you what my solution to date has been for all the vales on my older boat.

I was working on the boat's fresh water hoses down in the lazarette and accidentally hit the head's input water valve. The small pipe it was attached to broke off and I had water poring into the boat. Looking at it for a second I placed my finger over the open pipe and stopped the water intrusion. Now, what to do next as I was at the boat alone and had no-one to call for assistance. Sitting there in the lazarette, as you know not a large space, holding my hand over an open pipe, lol. There was no easy plug around to stop the water. What I ended up doing after a few minutes was to stuff a rope end into the open pipe and stop the water enough so that I could climb out of the lazarette and then close the pipe with a more peppermint solution. This happened years ago when I first bought the boat. Much like you I tried to understand, how all the parts of these boats work.

What I found on this head inflow thru hull assebly is a thru hull that is attached to an elbow which directs a pipe along the inside of the boat's hull. On the pipe is a ball-valve. The brass pipe was corroded and broke easily. I replaced the whole assembly, elbow, pipe and ball-valve. The thru-hull was not replaced. This was some years ago. The valve assembly was replaced in the water. It is a small 1/2" thru-hull that will not flow much water. Have a wooden plug with a thin cloth over it to close the thru-hull when you screw off the valve or elbow as the case may be. Then when ready, replace quickly with a new valve assembly.

All bronze thru-hulls and the bronze stern tube on this 30+ year boat very likely need replacement. At this time on my boat all these parts have been replaced except for the head's inflow thru-hull and the head's discharge thru-hull. The thru-hull that worried me the most was the plastic thru-hull for the head's sink drain.

Ed H · Feb 13, 2012

On my 1981 Hunter 33, the seacock you are describing is for the head (sea water in-take). I also have one under the port setee for the galley drain. I had to have that one replaced last fall. Just behind the engine is one for the engine cooling water. Under the bathroom sink is one for that drain. My holding tank drain is not connected to a seacock- the seacock is still there but I have never messed with it. I am guessing it is frozen shut. Ed H